Describe the hardest hole you've played

[Strömsborg]

This one, the 16th at Littlestone, links course along the English channel. Played it twice within a week, both times into the wind, and wasn't close to making even bogey.460 yards, par 4. 220 yards to the dogleg and another 240 yards to the green. Miss your drive right and you're in thick grass behind the right bunker, miss left and your ball will die and possibly disappear in the grass wall the left bunker is dug into. If you succed in hitting a draw between the bunkers and end up in what little fairway there is the approach is uphill to a green with a pot bunker left and a haylined pit of doom to the right.

 

 

[andrue]

459 yd par 5 12th at Hellidon Lakes, UK.

It's blind uphill from the tee, with a slope right to left. Unless you fluff your drive you're going to lose site of your ball. It could land on:

 

* The down slope on the other side of the small hill. A good drive could see your ball bounce (or if really good carry into) a pond.

* The down and right slope on the other side of the small hill. A bit of fade spin could see your ball bounce into the trees on the right.

* For the really inept a bit of a pull off the tee will send your ball into the trees on the left because the first part of the fairway kind of bulges to the right down the hill and you don't have much space on the left.

 

Your second shot (third if you had to recover from either tree line) will be one of:

* Down hill toward a pond needing to carry 130 yards.

* Down hill and ball below feet needing to carry 130 yards.

There is a narrow strip of fairway to the right of the pond but that would be a lay up and considering your next shot not a great idea.

 

Your third shot (or fourth..) assuming you made it past the pond will be 150 yds up hill (probably plays more like 200 yds) with a stand of trees on the right. You basically want your ball to fly along the edge of the trees to reach the green unless you can keep it clear by pull fading. Getting into the trees means first cut but by damn' it'll take several shots to climb your way out.

 

If things don't go well (and they never have for me) it'll be a 7, 8 or even a 9. And three of those shots will be climbing your way up to the green.

 

hah! There's a 3D fly over over the course [here](http://wholeinonegolf.co.uk/qhotels/hellidon.html "here (it's course 1)"). You might also want to look at the 18th as it's one of best ways to finish a round of golf in my area :)

 

In fact if you have the time there are several 'funky' holes at this course. Some people call it crazy golf :)

[RickK]

> @bigred90gt said:

> Hole 16 at Eagle Pointe in Mont Belvieu, TX. 470 yard par 4, fairway runs downhill, until it ends around 265, where there’s a steep hill to a creek, covered in thick Bermuda rough that they keep around 5”. After the creek, there is a small landing area (to lay up from a wayward tee shot I reckon), then it is all up hill to the green. Dense Woods to the right and pine trees/cart path to the left. Can’t really hit driver on this hole, so you’re left with a 220-240 yard shot off of a down hill lie. If you hit the cart path, it will bounce into the creek or into #10 fairway and you have no shot anywhere near the green from there. There’s more trees, then a waterfall and creek to the left of the second part of the fairway, a pond left of the green, and the green slopes hard left to right making it hard to hold from the distance you’re playing into it. In order to keep it on the green, you have to play the the left side which brings all the trouble in play. If you walk away with a bogie, it was a good day. I’ve ruined many good rounds on this hole.

>

> If you can be precise enough to hit the ball exactly 260 yards to the middle right of the fairway (accounting for the downhill run of course), you have a fairly straight forward 205-210 yard shot. Anything else, forget about it.

 

AMEN!!! I totally agree. Bogey is a good score on this hole.

[bigred90gt]

> @RickK said:

> > @bigred90gt said:

> > Hole 16 at Eagle Pointe in Mont Belvieu, TX. 470 yard par 4, fairway runs downhill, until it ends around 265, where there’s a steep hill to a creek, covered in thick Bermuda rough that they keep around 5”. After the creek, there is a small landing area (to lay up from a wayward tee shot I reckon), then it is all up hill to the green. Dense Woods to the right and pine trees/cart path to the left. Can’t really hit driver on this hole, so you’re left with a 220-240 yard shot off of a down hill lie. If you hit the cart path, it will bounce into the creek or into #10 fairway and you have no shot anywhere near the green from there. There’s more trees, then a waterfall and creek to the left of the second part of the fairway, a pond left of the green, and the green slopes hard left to right making it hard to hold from the distance you’re playing into it. In order to keep it on the green, you have to play the the left side which brings all the trouble in play. If you walk away with a bogie, it was a good day. I’ve ruined many good rounds on this hole.

> >

> > If you can be precise enough to hit the ball exactly 260 yards to the middle right of the fairway (accounting for the downhill run of course), you have a fairly straight forward 205-210 yard shot. Anything else, forget about it.

>

> AMEN!!! I totally agree. Bogey is a good score on this hole.

 

I've played golf all over the country, and I've played just about every public course in the greater Houston area. This has to be the worst designed hole I've ever laid eyes on.

 

They are in the process of redesigning the course, and are supposed to be shutting it down to rebuild it. The new designer came out to play a round with Jeff and even he said he couldn't believe anyone would design such a hole.

[Moonlightgrm]

Tumblebrook Country Club is a 27-hole, upscale, private country club in Connecticut. The 26th hole is a par 3, played from the tips at 259-yards. The left side of the hole is out of bounds. The green is rather small considering it’s a long par 3. The hole is well bunkered. I’ve only played the hole once, but it’s the most demanding par 3 that I’ve ever played.

[caniac6]

I really hate the 16th at my home course, Oak Valley Golf Club- Advance, NC. It is just a 160 yd. par 3, but has a narrow green with a tree overhanging the front right, and a creek in the front that runs all along the left side of the green.

[Kevlar10]

Tobacco Road #13, par 5. Tee shot needs to be 260-280, then a layup between 130-160. Finally, 100-120 blind to an elevated green. It takes three good shots in the right positions to hit the green. I was playing pretty well up to this hole, +9, then this hole took the wind out of my sails. I hit my tee shot too far and didn’t have a clear line to the next landing area. I hit my second shot okay but was at a bad angle to get on the green. I would up short in the brush and had to take a drop. Still at a bad angle, I flew the green. I wound up with a 9. I never got back on track after that hole. I will go back someday and try again.

[b.mattay]

Hole 3 (a short par 5) at a course that shall not be named. 21 yards from lost ball (brush) to lost ball (brush) off the tee shot, with a crowned fairway. 9 iron off the tee and lay up from there. The green is so back to front you need to chip a 180 club from 100 yards to keep the ball on the green.

[Griffin58]

Hole 11 at Granite Springs in Nova Scotia is hateful. Much like the entire course.

 

[RickK]

> @bigred90gt said:

> > @RickK said:

> > > @bigred90gt said:

> > > Hole 16 at Eagle Pointe in Mont Belvieu, TX. 470 yard par 4, fairway runs downhill, until it ends around 265, where there’s a steep hill to a creek, covered in thick Bermuda rough that they keep around 5”. After the creek, there is a small landing area (to lay up from a wayward tee shot I reckon), then it is all up hill to the green. Dense Woods to the right and pine trees/cart path to the left. Can’t really hit driver on this hole, so you’re left with a 220-240 yard shot off of a down hill lie. If you hit the cart path, it will bounce into the creek or into #10 fairway and you have no shot anywhere near the green from there. There’s more trees, then a waterfall and creek to the left of the second part of the fairway, a pond left of the green, and the green slopes hard left to right making it hard to hold from the distance you’re playing into it. In order to keep it on the green, you have to play the the left side which brings all the trouble in play. If you walk away with a bogie, it was a good day. I’ve ruined many good rounds on this hole.

> > >

> > > If you can be precise enough to hit the ball exactly 260 yards to the middle right of the fairway (accounting for the downhill run of course), you have a fairly straight forward 205-210 yard shot. Anything else, forget about it.

> >

> > AMEN!!! I totally agree. Bogey is a good score on this hole.

>

> I've played golf all over the country, and I've played just about every public course in the greater Houston area. This has to be the worst designed hole I've ever laid eyes on.

>

> They are in the process of redesigning the course, and are supposed to be shutting it down to rebuild it. The new designer came out to play a round with Jeff and even he said he couldn't believe anyone would design such a hole.

 

I agree...terrible designed hole. I had heard they was discussion about redesign but then someone who plays there quite frequently told me that the plan to do it got nixed. True or not...no idea. I live so far the opposite side of town and only play EP in tournaments so anything I know is all rumor anyway. I really like most of the layout of EP. It is so different from the majority of courses we have in the Greater Houston area.

[bigred90gt]

> @RickK said:

> > @bigred90gt said:

> > > @RickK said:

> > > > @bigred90gt said:

> > > > Hole 16 at Eagle Pointe in Mont Belvieu, TX. 470 yard par 4, fairway runs downhill, until it ends around 265, where there’s a steep hill to a creek, covered in thick Bermuda rough that they keep around 5”. After the creek, there is a small landing area (to lay up from a wayward tee shot I reckon), then it is all up hill to the green. Dense Woods to the right and pine trees/cart path to the left. Can’t really hit driver on this hole, so you’re left with a 220-240 yard shot off of a down hill lie. If you hit the cart path, it will bounce into the creek or into #10 fairway and you have no shot anywhere near the green from there. There’s more trees, then a waterfall and creek to the left of the second part of the fairway, a pond left of the green, and the green slopes hard left to right making it hard to hold from the distance you’re playing into it. In order to keep it on the green, you have to play the the left side which brings all the trouble in play. If you walk away with a bogie, it was a good day. I’ve ruined many good rounds on this hole.

> > > >

> > > > If you can be precise enough to hit the ball exactly 260 yards to the middle right of the fairway (accounting for the downhill run of course), you have a fairly straight forward 205-210 yard shot. Anything else, forget about it.

> > >

> > > AMEN!!! I totally agree. Bogey is a good score on this hole.

> >

> > I've played golf all over the country, and I've played just about every public course in the greater Houston area. This has to be the worst designed hole I've ever laid eyes on.

> >

> > They are in the process of redesigning the course, and are supposed to be shutting it down to rebuild it. The new designer came out to play a round with Jeff and even he said he couldn't believe anyone would design such a hole.

>

> I agree...terrible designed hole. I had heard they was discussion about redesign but then someone who plays there quite frequently told me that the plan to do it got nixed. True or not...no idea. I live so far the opposite side of town and only play EP in tournaments so anything I know is all rumor anyway. I really like most of the layout of EP. It is so different from the majority of courses we have in the Greater Houston area.

 

Indeed it is different.

 

I was told by the director of golf they were going to rebuild it, but that was probably 1.5-2 years ago and nothing has come to fruition yet. Who knows. I’ll continue to play it occasionally. I live in Baytown. But we spend most of our time at chambers county. Little country county muni out in the sticks, $20ish per round, BYOB, and the greens are good. Nothing special but can’t beat it.

[Jacked_Loft]

The 3rd hole on my home course.

 

Par 3

90 yards long

Tiny postage stamp green, which is 20 yards below the tee level

Water in front, OB behind

You can only see the top of the flag

 

The hole is so sadistic that the management built a little snack bar between the green and the next tee for your viewing pleasure.

 

[QuigleyDU]

Hole two Wolf Creek golf course in Mesquite, NV. the scariest tee shot I think there is in golf.

 

http://golfwolfcreek.com/-course-flyover

 

Not me, but look at this visual mess off the tee!!

 

 

Follow by a close second by number 14 at the Wolf course at Paiute. The wolf is a hard course over all. It is super long at 7600 yards and the wind is always blowing.

[jim rockford]

golf course north of toronto..pheasant run, i think.......... hole on back 9, like 14th............. either par 4 or par 5, big dogleg left........... landing area for 3rd shot is extremely sloped sideways and ball rolls into deep rough that curves over at the top. good luck find.

 

8th hole at tobiano in kamloops................ from black tees, the carry to narrow fairway is so long. not sure if there's drop zone (for official scoring)......... anyway, that's not the biggest problem... probably played the hole 10 times and i've never found my 2nd shot. no matter how well i hit it or what line it was on.... problem is again very sideways sloped fairway down to deep, steep fescue.. but i've never found a ball on the other side (medium fescue) either..... i think they will fix......... GREAT COURSE. and affordable. oosthuisen practiced there before this year's USO where he played well.

 

northlands, north vancouver bc public course, has some crazy hard holes on the front nine. great public course that doesn't get enough recognition.

[jim rockford]

2nd hole at now closed Meadows at East St Paul in Winnipeg Canada. tight fairway, with water down whole left side and lots of side wind (i think).......... the two players i know who played provincial tourneys there were out of contention after that hole (the 2nd) on the first day.

 

StoneTree, Novato, California, north of SF. has same issues. really narrow fairways with water. along the side.

[jim rockford]

little executive course in winnipeg. small island green you can play from 175 yards....... very small island. very, very firm green. very windy. i'd say only one shot works. high and very front of green. nothing else works. and that's from 130 yards, not the 175 yards.

 

if you use, liberal scoring or fun round, i love very tough, even unfair, holes........ official scoring though, they are painful

[Jimjam651]

The Addington, Surrey UK

 

Thirteenth hole

 

229 yard par 3, no room to miss big left or right. Plays slightly down hill and fell right inbetween clubs for me.

 

The picture doesn't do it justice

 

 

[jim rockford]

what's the carry on that wolf creek (mesquite, NV) course? ........... seen a 280 yard forced carry in palm springs. (players course, indian wells - muni??..... doesn't look like a muni but i think it is)..

 

1st hole at furry creek (filmed happy gilmore) a quarter of the way from vancouver to whistler has an insane drop from the first tee to a narrow fairway. didn't used to be the 1st..... i think it's red staked with drop area. but drop area shot is perilous too................ 4th at furry is ridiculously narrow.. i hit a ball into the woods at the left side of the fairway and lost the ball in the grass/scrub on the other side of fairway. i wouldn't have thought that was remotely possible on any golf hole.

 

sometimes i find country courses don't have enough room. i.e. didn't spend enough cutting down trees.

[Roody]

For me, hole 6 at Turning Stone Kaluyhat comes to mind. Par 5. Forced carry off the tee, water on right that starts about 200-220 out. Woods and bunkers on left. Tee shot needs to get out far enough so your second shot can get across the marsh. Otherwise if you lay up, your third shot is 175+ yards.

 

Green and fairway leading up to it are surrounded by deep bunkers. Of the dozen or so times I've played the course, I think I've only parred it once.

[jholz]

This bitch:

 

 

No. 9 on the Lake Course at the RTJ Grand National in Opelika. Only 430 from the tips, but drastically uphill. Probably plays close to 480. A good tee shot will leave you a long iron or hybrid into a narrow green with FOUR severely sloped tiers. Anything in the bunker left or trees right is severely punished. Gnarly pot bunkers right of the green and giant sand pit to the left. Depending on where the flag is, this hole is close to impossible if you get out of position.

 

 

[dmecca2]

The two toughest holes ive ever played are back to back. #7 and #8 at the St. James Plantation Reserve Course, courtesy of Jack Nicklaus.

 

 

7 is a par 5 that has OB left and a pond on the right. The green is not reachable in 2, so the next shot you have a choice to hit a split layup area. The left area is easy to hit, with the exception of the water to the left of it, but it has a tougher angle into the green. The right layup area has a better angle into the green, but requires a draw around some trees to hit, which means the closer you hit it to the water off the tee, the easier the next shot will be. Now even if you manage to hit 2 perfect shots into the right fairway, the green is a sliver and anything that runs long is into the water again.

 

 

The next hole after making a double bogey is a longer hole that forces you to hit 3 wood or hybrid off the tee due to a bottleneck at driver length. About 1.5 steps off the left side of the fairway is a 80 degree drop down 6 feet into a swamp hazard. So you play to the right side of the fairway to avoid that. Problem is the right side of the fairway is completely blocked out by tall pine trees that youre forced to hit over. Only you had to hit hybrid off the tee and now have a 4 iron left to the green. Combine that with a hazard that wraps around the green to the left and behind.